I am whoever I say I am.

The name is Mindy -- or Min-D as some friends like to say, or even MSkut (hybrid of my first and last name) -- and I'm a newspaper reporter just outside Charlotte, NC. I started this blog in April 2008 as a means of expanding my horizons and moving away from the "woe is me, here's what is happening in my life" blogging. Instead, I tried out the "hey, look how witty I can be" and the "this is what I have to say about 'insert topic here'" kind, and so far, it's worked pretty well. But there's much ground still to cover!

Yours truly...!!

Delve into the past.

Delve into the past.

Grace in Small Things: 38/365

Feb. 1, 2010
1. Didn't get to go to D.C. (stupid snow!), but had a FABULOUS weekend anyway.
2. Played in the snow - with my dog - for the first time in at least 10 years.
3. Went shopping yesterday!
4. Unburied my car from the inches of snow and ice this morning.
5. Leftover Olive Garden tonight. Yummmmm.

Feel free to Email me.

I’m not one for “features” on my blog, mostly because I’m a fairly sporadic poster. However, with my obvious love for news – and lack of regular content – I’ve decided to stupidly commit myself to “Ripped from the Headlines,” where I’ll pull a few of the stranger stories, and maybe a photo or two for good measure, floating around the Internet and offer my comments about their awesomeness, then let you fine folks tell me what you think.

I very briefly considered making this a weekly venture, but let’s be honest, this feature is likely to cease quickly with those kinds of constraints. Instead, if I stumble upon several interesting news items in one day, I’ll share them with the 12 of you masses. But in all seriousness, with the “Odd News” segment on Yahoo!, it’s possible this could become a routine gig. However, we’ll have to play that by ear … er, eye, considering you’re entirely unable to hear me right now.

Officials at Heritage Christian School in Findlay (Ohio) had warned 17-year-old Tyler Frost that he would be suspended and prohibited from attending graduation if he went to the public school dance over the weekend with his girlfriend.

Unfortunately for Frost, his fundamentalist Baptist private school forbids dancing and rock music – hand-holding as well – so it makes sense that he would be suspended. But is it somewhat overstepping some boundaries by dictating what the student can do on his free time? Or is it his own fault because he knew the rules prior to attending the prom and outright disobeyed? I’m on the fence here.

“Titanic” stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet … have thrown their support behind a fund that would subsidize Millvina Dean’s nursing home fees.

So, um, can a movie be made about something tragic that happened in my life – nothing really has yet, but perhaps drama of some nature will soon erupt – so I can get free money? ‘Cause that would be hella sweet.

“The Simpsons” — America’s most-loved dysfunctional family — got their own postal stamps on Thursday, becoming the first television series to be featured as the sole subject of a U.S. stamp set while still in primetime production.

Isn’t it about damn time? And this is definitely more exciting news than today’s 2-cent price hike in the cost of stamps.

REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni/Files (UNITED STATES ENTERTAINMENT OBITUARY)

(Photo)Actor Mickey Carroll … one of the last surviving diminutive “Munchkins” in the 1939 movie “The Wizard of Oz,” Carroll died of natural causes on May 7, 2009 in Missouri at age 89, a newspaper reported.

I am a HUGE “Wizard of Oz” fan – and yes, I have seen Carroll in public when a few surviving “munchkins” made an appearance at The Steamtown Mall in Scranton several years ago (and before you comment, yes Jonathan, I remember you’re the one who took me!) – so it’s sad to see the cast dwindling away due to death. Such is life though. May Carroll RIP.

So, share your thoughts everyone. What do you think of these news stories? Do you have any compelling articles to share that you might’ve stumbled upon? Let me know!

* I’ll pull the “nut graf” – summarizing paragraph of the whole story – and maybe a bit more from each article so you lazy bums don’t have to click the link.

Crap. I forgot about the postage stamp hike. Not that I send stuff all the time, but it’s nice to always have some stamps around just in case.

Why don’t they make forever stamps with cool cartoon characters on them? I mean, the liberty bell is great and all, but it has the personality of a piece of cardboard.

I rarely mail things, too. I’m actually fairly certain the stamps I have now are from before the last stamp-hike. But you’re right, they should be more adorable than the liberty bell. How exactly does that portray “forever” anyway?

Yesss! I love that you explained a nut graf. And posted all these. Seriously. We live in a strange, strange world. And you better believe that if something off-the-wall happens in my town, I’m sending it your way. With photos, of course. 😉

I hope you do! I’d love to post content from people I know somehow, ha. And the nut graf explanation was needed. Not all people are journ-geniuses like ourselves!

I thought you might like the story of the 17 year old boy who is going to get suspended. I think that’s complete bull. How many high school students go to prom, dance, sing, and have a great time without having to drink or having sex? (I could think of a couple). Prom is a time and place where people can make memories that last a lifetime, like some chick singing Meatloaf’s Paradise by the Dashboard Light :-p

I didn’t want to mention Mickey Carroll to you. Ha, I remember dragging your crabby butt down to Steamtown to see them. That was an interesting day. Do you still have all of your Wizard of Oz stuff that you’ve collected over the years?

I actually heard that prom story on the radio yesterday morning, so it was interesting that the link was already waiting in my inbox from you, ha. As for the Oz, yes, I still have all my stuff … and more. I’m lame, but I love it too much! I was super grumpy that day you dragged me to the mall though. I didn’t know why you were forcing me to go, but then I felt bad once there because you had very good intentions. Sorry about that. I was a HUGE pain in the ass then (who am I kidding? still am).

He got suspended for going to another school’s dance because of dancing? That’s insane. That is completely the parents’ decision whether or not he should be allowed to attend a public school dance.

I dunno why Christians think it’s effective to close their children off and restrict them from doing things, rather than empowering them to make good decisions. It’s not like he’s 11…he’s 17! These Christians make me sick. They make me look bad.

Ya, he knew the rule and disobeyed, so he has to pay the consequence. But it’s a stupid rule.

It’s ridiculous, you’re right. The parents and the child should be able to make those out-of-school decisions, not the school itself. I couldn’t believe that a school, even a Christian-based one, would dictate such rules for life in general. It’s unfortunate. And that last sentence of yours is why I was on the fence… It’s a stupid rule, yes, but he knew about it and went to prom anyway. Sure, there should be consequences for that, but the rule shouldn’t exist to begin with.